The present invention relates to the field of a service provisioning system for a telecommunication network, a service switching point for a telecommunication network, and a procedure for providing telecommunication services.
The invention presumes the implementation of telecommunication services in accordance with the IN architecture (IN=Intelligent Network), for example, as described in the article xe2x80x9cIntelligent Networkxe2x80x9d, Nachrichtentechnik, Elektronik, Berlin 20, 1990, Pages 162 to 164.
A global service control point is connected to several service switching points via the no. 7 signaling network. The service control point provides central control of the implementation of one or several telecommunication services for the service switching points to which it is connected. The service switching points comprise the specially equipped switching points of a telecommunication network. In the event that one of these switching points receives a special connection request from a subscriber of the telecommunication network, a service switching function that is integrated in the switching point is triggered, which results in a service request message being sent to the global service control points. This service request message triggers the service logic assigned in the service control points, which in turn control the implementation of the telecommunication service, for example, by instructing the service switching point to transfer the connection request to another destination call number or by controlling a service support system which provides spoken announcements. The communication between the global service control points and the service switching points is carried out via the no. 7 signaling network.
The underlying task of the invention is to increase the capacity of the service provision.
This task is to be implemented by a service provisioning system for a telecommunication network comprising at least one global service control node for executing service control functions to one or more switching nodes each provided with a first control unit which is designed to execute service switching functions which are caused by connection requests from subscribers of the telecommunication network to send service request messages to service control functions which each control the provision of a telecommunication service for the respective subscriber, the global service control nodes being connected to the switching nodes via a long-range communication network wherein the service provisioning system further comprises one or more local service control nodes for executing service control functions, each of the local service control nodes being associated with a respective one of switching nodes and being connected to the associated switching node via a respective local communication mechanism, that the service control function associated with a service switching function is installed globally in one of the global service control nodes or locally in one of the local service control nodes depending on the respective telecommunications service being controlled by the service control function, and that each of the switching nodes further comprises a second control unit which is designed to determine for each service request message whether the associated service control function is installed locally or globally, and routes the service request message through the long-range communications network to a global service control node if the associated service control function is installed globally, and via the local communication mechanism to a local service control node associated with the respective switching node if the associated service control function is installed locally.
The above-mentioned task is further implemented using a switching point for a telecommunication network comprising a first communication with at least one global service control node over a long-range communications network, and a first control unit for executing service switching functions which are caused by connection requests from subscribers of the telecommunications network to send service request messages to service control functions which each control the execution of a telecommunications service for the respective subscriber, wherein the switching node further comprises a second communication unit for communication with at least one local service control node via a local communication mechanism, and a second control unit which is designed to determine for each of the service request messages whether the associated service control function is installed locally or globally, the service control function associated with a service switching function being installed locally or globally depending on the respective telecommunications service being controlled by the service control function, and that the second control unit is further designed to route the service request message by means of the first communication unit through the long-range communication network to a global service control node if the associated service control function is installed globally, and by means of the second communication unit via the local communication mechanism to a local service control node associated with the switching node if the associated service control function is installed locally.
The above-mentioned task is further implemented with a procedure for providing telecommunication services the method comprising, causing a service switching function executed by the controller of a switching node of the telecommunication network to send a service request message to a service control function in response to a connection request from a subscriber, whereupon the service control function controls the provision of the telecommunications service, wherein the controller determines for each service request message from the respective telecommunications service requested by the service message whether the service control function to be assigned to the service request message is installed globally or locally, that the controller sends the service request message over a long-range communications network to a global service control node via the long-range communications network if the service control function to be assigned is installed globally, and that the controller sends the service request message via a local communication mechanism to a local service control nodes associated with the switching node and communicates with the local service control node via the local communication mechanism if the service control function to be assigned is installed locally.
The underlying concept of the invention is to connect service switching points to assigned local service control points via a local communication mechanism in addition to connecting them to a global service control point, and to install the service logic for a service requested by a service switching point, either globally in global service control point or locally in the assigned local service control point depending on the type of service. For each service switching point, it is to be decided for which services the service control is to be transferred from the global to the assigned local service control point. For each service request of a service switching point, it is to be determined whether the requested service is currently to be controlled by a local or global service control point, and the communication with the service control points is controlled accordingly.
One of the advantages of the invention is a reduction in `the average time and average expenditure in implementing a telecommunication service. A service control point that has been adapted to the service type can be used. The advantages of a global service control point (central service implementation, improved system utilization) are combined service-specifically with the advantages of a local service control point (faster communication connection). It is also possible to group special services with common resource utilization.
The invention also enables cost-efficient implementation, as existing service switching functions and service control functions can be reused in a service provisioning system in accordance with the invention.
In addition, the invention reduces the load on the signaling network.
Further advantages of the invention include the increased total number of services that can be implemented in parallel and the possibility for detailed service management.
Refer to the sub-claims for further advantageous features of the invention.
Here, it is of particular benefit to dynamically change the assignment of the service controllers to local or global service control points depending on the system parameters of the telecommunication network. This enables an optimum adaptation of the implementation of service control functions to suit the current system status.